Alto clarinet



y 6, 1958 L. LEBLANC 2,833,175

' ALTO CLARINET Filed Oct. 12, 1955 fii w I g l J @L $4 n;

IN VEN TOR.

n wd a sPate ALTO CLARINET Leon Leblanc, Paris, France, assignor to G. Leblanc porporation, Kenosha, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application October 12, 1955, Serial No. 540,071

1 Claim. (Cl. 84-382) This invention is concerned generally with the musical arts, and more specifically with an improved neck for an alto clarinet.

Alto clarinets are moderately large instruments. As a result, it is necessary to play an alto clarinet in a standing position, or else in a sitting position with the clarinet between the knees, or to one side of the legs. Obviously, it is undesirable to have to play an instrument in a standing position at all times. Furthermore, it has been found undesirable to hold a clarinet to one side of the legs inasmuch as this requires one arm to reach a considerably greater distance than the other, and either requires that the head be tilted to accommodate the angle of the mouth piece, or that the mouthpiece be tilted in the instrument.

Prior art alto clarinets with which I am familiar have utilized a neck connecting the mouthpiece and body which comprises a simple curve. This prior art neck has required holding the instrument in an awkward position, regardless of whether the player is seated or standing. The mouthpiece has had to be held in an inconvenient position in the mouth, and the body of the instrument has been entirely too low. This is particularly a problem when playing the instrument with the player in seated position and the clarinet held between his knees, inasmuch as it frequently requires reaching down between the knees to play some of the lower notes. The angle at which the clarinet has had to be held also has adversely affected the balance and has accordingly resulted in tiring of the cl'arinetist. Fatigue of the mouth or of the neck muscles also is not unheard of due to the inconvenient position in which the mouthpiece has had to be held.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved alto clarinet obviating all of the above mentioned difficulties, and others.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved neck for an alto clarinet which raises the body of the clarinet and improves the position in which the clarinet is held and in which the mouthpiece is held in the mouth.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved neck piece for an alto clarinet, which neck piece has a double or compound bend of particular configuration.

It is a further object of this invention to attain the foregoing and other objects and advantages without in any way adversely affecting the tonal qualities of the alto clarinet.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of an alto clarinet constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a side view partially in section of the neck and the associated parts.

Referring now in greater particularly to the figures, there is shown an alto clarinet comprising an upper body joint 12 and a lower body joint 14. These joints preferably are connected at 16, and can be made as a single t piece. The alto clarinet 10 also includes the conventional bell or horn 18 at the lower end.

At the upper end of the body the alto clarinet includes a neck 20 and a mouthpiece 22. The mouthpiece is of conventional construction and includes a clamp 24 securing a reed (not shown) thereon. The lower end of the mouthpiece 22 is of reduced diameter at 26 and is provided with a cork insert 28 for insertion into the neck.

At the top end of the body joint there is provided a slit connection including a metal bushing 30. The neck slips into the bushing 30 and its downward movement is limited by a flange shortly to be set forth. A'circumfcrential flange 34 at the upper end of the bushing positions the bushing in the proper position, and the bushing is held in place by any known or suitable means (not shown).

The neck 20 comprises a metal tube of nickel silver or other type conventionally used in the woodwind art. In the past, the neck has extended axially from the top of the body, and then has been bent rearwardly at an obtuse angle. In the present neck, a lower portion 36 thereof which fits into the bushing 30 extends axially from the clarinet body. A ring or flange 38 on the piece 36 acts to limit movement of the neck into the bushing. A short distance above the flange or ring 38 the neck curves smoothly rearwardly at 40 and forms an angle less than a right angle. The neck then curves upwardly again at 42. The part 42 preferably is integral with the part 40, having an expansion at 44, but it is contemplated that it might be a separate part joined at 44. The neck piece is completed by a mouthpiece receiver 46 of greater diameter, having an inwardly directed wall portion 48 and a tubular portion 50 fitting over the tube of the neck and soldered or brazed thereto at 52, preferably by silver solder. The upper end of the mouthpiece receiver is flared outwardly at 54 to facilitate entrance of the reduced end of the mouthpiece thereinto.

In the present instance the upper joint of the clarinet body has been shortened somewhat at the top, and the neck has been lengthened so as to maintain the same overall length for the vibrating air column. It will be appreciated from an inspection of the drawing that the axis of the mouthpiece as projected falls below the twelfth or register hole associated with the lever 56. In prior art alto clarinets the extension of the mouthpiece axis was above the top of the longer body. In short, it intercepted the projection of the body several inches above the register or twelfth hole. Furthermore, the axis of the mouthpiece in the prior art formed a more obtuse angle with the clarinet body than does the mouthpiece in the present clarinet. Accordingly, the present alto clarinet can be held substantially higher, thereby facilitating holding and playing of the clarinet without tiring of the clarinetist, and the body of the clarinet can be held substantially parallel to the body of the clarinetist without requiring an awkward head or mouth position on the part of the clarinetist.

It further will be observed, that unlike the construction in a bass clarinet, the mouthpiece axis does not form substantially a right angle with the clarinet body, and furthermore the upper end of the neck is above the lower end of the neck (the lower end being the end entering the clarinet body) with the clarinet body held in substantially vertical position, whereas in a bass clarinet the upper and lower ends are substantially on the same level. In fact, the end herein designated the upper end is usually below the lower end in a bass clarinet, and the mouthpiece receiver of a bass clarinet neck is substantially below the highest part of the neck.

As a result of the foregoing, the present alto clarinet can be held with a better mouthpiece position. The clarinet is easier to held without fatigue, and it can be held higher. Furthermore, the present clarinet can be positioned between the legs with much greater facility than any prior alto clarinet with which, I am familiar. Furthermore, the clarinet can be held close into the body in substantially vertical position, the eby affording a better, balance than in the prior art.

Various changes in structure may occur to. those skilled in the art, and it is to be understood that this invention includes such changes insofar as they fall Within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

The invention is claimed as follows:

An alto clarinet comprising a body having a register hole disposed closely adjacent the top thereof, a neck inserted in the top of said body and having a first portion substantially abruptly curved rearwardly and upwardly relative to the axis of the body and substantially immediately from the top of said body and closely adjacent said register hole, the said first portion terminating laterally of the axis of the body and above the top thereof, said neck having a second portion extending from said first portion and reverselycurved upwardly and further rear- Wardly of the axis of the body and terminating in a mouthpiece receiver thus disposed a substantial distance laterally of the axis of the body and above said first portion with the axis thereof projected toward the body intersecting the said body substantially no higher than said register hole, and a mouthpiece inserted axially in said receiver and positioned thereby further laterally of the axis of the body and further above the said first portion of the neck, whereby the head of a clarinetist can be held in substantially erect position to receive the mouthpiece with the body of the clarinet held substantially parallel to the body of the clarinetist.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Selmer (Paris): Clarinets Pamphlet, copyright 1950, see last page. 

